- The BiH Council of Ministers will be approving conditions of new tender for third GSM operator
- Plan of the Brcko education law implementation issued on Wednesday
- SDP dissatisfied with work of some public office holders
- SDP says the RTV BiH transformation is being made according to SDA and HDZ concept
- SDP caucus in the RS National Assembly requests Petritsch to stop illegal allocation of land
- HNS says Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s initiative represents an absurd
- Vecernji List: Professional and independent investigation expected
- Vecernji List: Petar Milic says he has been undermining the integrity of the Federation for years
- A senior HDZ official against the third entity establishment
- Companies owe estimated 158 millions KM to the RS Budget
- RS customs officers to perform their duties in the Brcko District for another three years
- RS Vice-president says RS delegation visit to Belgrade was aimed at improvement of economic ties
- SDS holds a press conference in Banja Luka following the return of its delegation from Belgrade
- Nearly 400 Srebrenica bodies found in a mass grave in BiH
- Decision on temporary release of Biljana Plavsic from The Hague postponed
- OHR says RS/FRY military agreement has no legal effect
- World Bank gives $11 million development loan to BiH
- Djindjic says the agreement on cooperation between SDS and DSS concerns only inter-partisan relations
- OHR and OSCE welcome the signing of the Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje agreement
- Oslobodjenje: The Hague mirror
- Dnevni Avaz: A continued dream on The Great Serbia
- Vecernji List: Return to the twilight zone
BiH State-related State
The BiH Council of Ministers will be approving conditions of new tender for third GSM operator
According to Dnevni Avaz, following a decision of Communication Regulatory Agency (CRA) to cancel the tender for the third GSM license, BiH Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Azra Hadziahmetovic met on Wednesday with CRA Chief Executive Jerker Torngren. Hadziahmetovic told the newspaper that in a way the Council would now be in a position to approve conditions of the new tender. According to Hadziahmetovic, Torngren said that, in principle, he would never issue the license against the will of the Council of Ministers. The two officials agreed that all future CRA activities related to the tender would be carried out in close coordination with the Council.
Plan of the Brcko education law implementation issued on Wednesday
ONASA reports that the Brcko District Government’s Education Department on Wednesday issued the Plan of Implementation of the Law on Primary and Secondary Education in the 2001/2002 year. According to general principles, each student will have freedom of expression in his mother tongue, and teachers will have to accept such communication without any corrections, with overcoming of language barriers and use of all three languages. An adequate structure of professors will be provided for classes in language, history and music. Lectures on these subjects will take place in separate classes, while mathematics, physical education and arts classes will be taught in joint classes.
Federation
SDP dissatisfied with work of some public office holders
SDP Vice-president Ivo Komsic tols press conference on Wednesday that the party was not satisfied with work of certain public office holders it had nominated. The SDP leadership has therefore ordered the party’s municipal and canton boards to make an analysis concerning the work of the authorities at all levels. Komsic emphasized that the party would not talk about any names until the analysis is prepared.
SDP says the RTV BiH transformation is being made according to SDA and HDZ concept
Nijaz Skenderagic, the member of the SDP Presidency, said at the party’s press conference on Wednesday that the RTV BiH transformation was being carried out incompetently and with much damaging behavior of the international supervisors. According to Skenderagic, the current transformation concept was introduced by the SDA and HDZ in times when they were intending to divide the RTV BiH, and it had to be eliminated as soon as possible. “Such the concept does not match the current political moment and it can only counter-productive results. We do not want war with the international community, but we cannot keep these facts in secret,” Skenderagic said. He announced that the SDP, meaning the Alliance for Changes would request the High Representative that the final goal – the RTV BiH’s transformation, is reached on the basis of partnership relations.
SDP caucus in the RS National Assembly requests Petritsch to stop illegal allocation of land
The SDP BiH representatives in the Republika Srpska National Assembly requested, as they said on behalf of a large number of those willing to return to their pre-war homes in the RS, High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch to stop illegal allocation of parcels for construction of houses exclusively to the persons of the Serb nationality. There is a large number of examples of such allocation primarily in the municipalities of Bijeljina, Janja, Modrica, Doboj, Zvornik, Prijedor etc. Apart from this request, Sejfudin Tokic, senior SDP official and the principal deputy chairman of the BiH House of Peoples called on Petritsch and OSCE Head of the Mission to BiH Robert Beecroft to check on allegations of a Banja Luka citizen of the Bosniak nationality, Zuhdo Merdzic, that Principal Deputy Chairman of the BiH House of Representatives Zeljko Mirjanic was using his authorities to prevent him from repossessing his private property.
HNS says Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s initiative represents an absurd
A request of the Sarajevo Canton’s Public Prosecution office for an investigation against the leader of the BiH Croat National Congress (HNS) Ante Jelavic and six other senior Croat officials is a proof of the politicized nature of the BiH judiciary, the HNS said in a press release according to the ONASA news agency. The HNS considers that accusing democratically elected representatives of one people of being involved in organizing the HNS and establishing the Inter-canton’s Council represents an absurd, bearing in mind that the Federation Constitution gives a possibility of establishing closer ties between the cantons with Croat or Bosniak majority.
Vecernji List: Professional and independent investigation expected
By Zoran Kresic (provided by OHR Mostar)
The OHR refused to comment on the course of the legal proceedings instituted against Ante Jelavic, the dismissed HDZ President, and six officials close to him, reads Vecernji List.
Avis Benes, the Spokesperson for the OHR in Mostar, expects that the judicial bodies in the Sarajevo Canton will do their job professionally and independently. The attempts of establishing the Croat self-rule the OHR had earlier judged as unconstitutional moves of the Croat leadership that are contrary to the Dayton Peace Agreement.
At the same time the Croat National Assembly claims that this is about a political persecution of Croats because of a verbal offense. It is interesting that it has become a rule that the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo is the Court for Croats even for the cases dealing with terrorist actions, although the Supreme Court is the only competent Court for such cases, comments Vecernji List.
Take the Leutar case for instance. Croat officials suspect that some representatives of the International Community are manipulating the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo, and thus they want to ‘direct’ the Croat politics in BiH.
Door for negotiations open even after Ljubic’s resignation
Avis Benes stated at the press conference that the High Representative expects from the HDZ leaders, whom Croats still trust the most, that they will represent and lead the Croats in BiH in a more responsible manner. She stressed: ‘We believe that the right way is not in offering them illusions but in offering them realistic possibilities that they have in this country.’ She obviously referred to the repeated requests for the establishment of Croat Republic. She expressed her regrets over the fact that Bozo Ljubic, the Head of the HDZ Negotiating Team resigned from this function. She concluded that the OHR is “more than interested in having talks with the HDZ” and that the “door is still open.” She stated that the talks have been suspended since the Croat people ‘are disappointed and confused by the latest events.’
(NB: This is a misquote, the actual statement by Ms. Benes was as follows: “So I think that one will recognize the importance and necessity of talks especially at this moment when the Croat people are a somewhat disappointed and confused not knowing what the whole situation is about.”)
Vecernji List: Petar Milic says he has been undermining the integrity of the Federation for years (provided by OHR Mostar)
“I am not surprised about this request but nothing in this state-forming-community can surprise me any more. It is more than obvious that those who lead us to unification of BiH cannot see a thing. I would not be surprised if the process went further on, and an indictment was issued, and even if there was a trial and a political verdict”, says Petar Milic, the President of the Croat Christian Democrats, in his comment on the request of the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo for initiation of an investigation against him and another six principals of the Croat self-rule in BiH.
Milic is of the opinion that behind this is a “Bosniak-Muslim effort to make the Federation a unitary and Islamic country”. He thinks that the Croats are easiest to remove from the path because they are not, unlike the Serbs, institutionally protected. “This is obviously a politically rigged process. They want to jade the last edge so no Croat even thinks about establishing the freedom of the Croat people”, claims Milic. Milic also says that the HDZ has given up on “establishing of the Croat self-rule” due to the interests of individuals and interests groups within the HDZ. The aim of the investigation is, according to Milic, to show the Croats that they have no right to freedom. “I have been undermining the integrity of the Federation for five-six years as well as the current constitutional-legal establishment of the state-forming-community of BiH. I am in favour of changing the current Constitution of BiH and establishing of the Croat republic within BiH. That is my freedom of thought”. He would, as he puts it, use every non-violent method and means, including the civil disobedience. He also accuses the International Community and especially the High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch and the former Principal Deputy High Representative Ralph Johnson of helping the Bosniaks’ efforts to unitarise the Federation of BiH, and of turning the Sarajevo Cantonal Court into the “dungeon of the Croat people”.
A senior HDZ official against the third entity establishment
According to Jutarnje Novine, HDZ BiH Secretary for International Affairs Drazenko Primorac told Mostar local TV-station Oscar that it was not productive to speak about a Croat republic in BiH. In this way, he became the first senior party official who openly opposed Marko Tokic’s statement on drafting the republic’s Constitution. All Sarajevo dailies, as well as Banja Luka Nezavisne Novine also carried a statement of OHR Senior Spokesperson Alexandra Stiglmayer, who told the BHP news agency that the Tokic’s ideas about the establishment of the third entity, meaning the Croat republic in BiH, were obviously not in compliance with the Dayton agreement.
Republika Srpska
Companies owe estimated 158 millions KM to the RS Budget
Glas Srpski, on the cover page, carry excerpts from a report of the Republika Srpska Financial Police. According to the report, the companies, audited by the police in the first six months of this year, owe 158 millions KM to the RS Budget, since they have been failing to pay obligatory contributions. RS Finance Police assisted in collection of 68 million KM out of which 25 million are from the estimated debt for this year, as the remaining 43 million belonged to the last year’s debt. During 1658 audits of the companies in the RS that the police conducted from January to June, they seized goods worth 67 000 KM. A profit of 18 000 KM was made through selling of the seized goods. The only measure for collecting debts that the Financial Police applied was blocking the bank accounts of the companies.
RS customs officers to perform their duties in the Brcko District for another three years
Glas Srpski and Nezavisne Novine report that the Republika Srpska customs officers will be conducting their duties at the Brcko District border crossing for another three years. RS Finance Minister Milenko Vracar, Brcko Mayor Sinisa Kisic and International Supervisor Henry Clarke signed an agreement on the issue in Brcko on Wednesday.
RS Vice-president says RS delegation visit to Belgrade was aimed at improvement of economic ties
Glas Srpski carries a statement of the Republika Srpska Vice-president Dragan Cavic, in which he commented on the visit of the RS Delegation to Belgrade. “The aim of our visit to Serbian Government was the improvement of economic cooperation and exchange of goods and services”, said Cavic. “In order to establish free trade between BiH and FRY, we will propose that the authorized Ministries from the RS and the BiH Federation influence the BiH Council of Ministers to put this issue on the agenda”, stated the RS Minister of Industry Pero Bukejlovic. Cavic together with the RS Prime Minister Maledn Ivanic led the RS delegation, which was in Belgrade yesterday.
SDS holds a press conference in Banja Luka following the return of its delegation from Belgrade
Both Republika Srpska dailies extensively report on a Serb Democratic Party’s (SDS) press conference, which was held in Banja Luka yesterday, following the return of its delegation from Belgrade, where an agreement on cooperation between the SDS and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) was signed. (see the attachment)
Nearly 400 Srebrenica bodies found in a mass grave in BiH
Forensic experts unearthed in July this year the remains of 203 Bosniaks believed killed by Republika Srpska wartime forces from a mass grave in which UN war crimes investigators last year found 191 bodies, a Bosnian official said on Thursday, Reuters reported. Last year’s exhumations were carried out in the hunt for evidence against former RS general Radislav Krstic, who has been charged with genocide for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and faces judgment at The Hague tribunal on Thursday. The head of Bosnia’s Commission for Missing Persons, Amor Masovic, said on Wednesday the commission would resume the exhumations from the grave at Glogova, near the eastern town of Bratunac, in two weeks.
Decision on temporary release of Biljana Plavsic from The Hague postponed
Both Banja Luka dailies report that a decision on temporary release of former RS President Biljana Plavsic from The Hague prison was postponed for August 29, when another hearing on the matter is to take place, says Jim Landle, The Hague Tribunal’s spokesman.
International Community
OHR says RS/FRY military agreement has no legal effect
The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, yesterday in a letter to the Republika Srpska Prime Minister, Mladen Ivanic, noted that the agreement on military cooperation signed by the Ministers of Defense of the RS and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on July 12, 2001 had no legal effect. (Sarajevo dailies carried the press release prominently, Glas Srpski on the cover and Nezavisne Novine page 2)
World Bank gives $11 million development loan to BiH
Federation media reported that BiH and World Bank representatives on Wednesday signed an agreement in Sarajevo on a development credit loan in the amount of $11 million. The credit, approved by the International Development Agency, is supposed to facilitate trade and transport in southeast Europe. The return deadline is 35 years, with a ten-year grace period and a 0.75 annual interest rate.
Djindjic says the agreement on cooperation between SDS and DSS concerns only inter-partisan relations
Nezavisne Novine carry a statement of the Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, who commented on the cooperation agreement signed by representatives of SDS (Serb Democratic Party) and DSS (Democratic Party of Serbia) in Belgrade on Monday. Djindjic said that this protocol on cooperation was only an agreement between the parties and had no wider meaning for destiny of the Serb people on both sides of the river of Drina.
OHR and OSCE welcome the signing of the Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje agreement
According to ONASA news agency, the Office of the High Representative and the OSCE Mission to BiH welcomed the signing of the Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje Agreement on Thursday in Travnik, uniting Gornji Vakuf and Uskoplje into one municipality and representing thus a ”step further in the overall effort to overcome the division and mistrust created by the war, and to consolidate the BiH Federation”.
Editorials
Oslobodjenje: The Hague mirror
Oslobodjenje columnist Zija Dizdarevic wrote in the today’s In Focus that, through announcing a project of “Croat Republic,” Marko Tokic had voluntarily offered additional reasons for launching an investigation against dismissed HDZ leaders over an organized rebellion versus the Constitution and integrity of BiH Federation and BiH. On the other side, Senior Deputy High Representative Matthias Sonn warned Serb delegates to the BiH House of Peoples not to misuse a thesis on Constitutional (non) foundation for obstructing passage of the important laws. According to Dizdarevic, SDS and HDZ are persistently carrying out an anti-BiH action without appropriate sanctions. Their image is in the Hague mirror, Dizdarevic concluded.
Dnevni Avaz: A continued dream on The Great Serbia
In the today’s Dnevni Avaz Commentary of the Day, Fadil Mandal wrote that signing of the protocol on cooperation between the SDS and the Serbian Democratic Party (DSS) could be a surprise but only for those uninformed. A friendship of Yugoslav President and DSS leader Vojislav Kostunica with Radovan Karadzic, the most wanted war crime suspect and indisputable SDS ideologist, is not a secret for a long time. The tradition of good relations between the two extremely nationalistic parties has been only confirmed by this document, which also represents a revival of thesis that the authorities had been replaced in Serbia, but the goals concerning the establishment of the Great Serbia have been the same, according to Mandal.
Vecernji List: Return to the twilight zone
Written by Marko Tokic (a guest commentator)
(full translation provided by OHR Mostar)
In the summer months when the political season stagnates, journalists, always thirsty for news, start looking for potential points of interest. A month and a half ago, there was a piece of news that was not really a novelty published in Globus by Darko Hudelist. It said that there was a politician sitting somewhere in silence, elaborating a possible projection of Croat Republic Constitution in BiH with either a new people’s Constitution of BiH or amendments to the existing Constitution, in the way that BiH be organised as a country with three republics with identical ways of protection of the constituent rights of the peoples in those republics, which would then result in the balancing of its internal structure and provide for standardisation of individual and collective human rights and freedoms. This piece of news is suddenly gaining on significance in the media and I cannot help being curious.
Why is that so? Is it for the reason that the constitutional reforms in BiH, following the proposal of the High Representative’s Constitutional Commissions, are turning BiH into a country divided in two parts with an alleged civil model, although it is clear that, under this solution, there are only two entities with two predominant national majorities in the country that has three constituent peoples.
How is one to interpret the fact that the special-regime cantons, but not the entities as well, are to be abolished as a result of the implementation of the Constitutional Court Decision on the constituency of peoples across BiH?
There are thousands of questions that are welling forth as we look at the obvious injustice we are experiencing.
How is it possible that the Croat parties participating in the work of the Constitutional Commissions are approving the principles of civil majorities in the country divided into two national majorities? Is it really true that the sweetness of power is above their honor and people or are they blackmailed?
Perhaps they simply do not understand what is happening?
Forgive them Lord for they know not what they are doing! Still, I do not think there should be any illusions since the speech that Mirnes Ajanovic delivered at the Federation Parliament. On the occasion of the initial disregard of the equality of peoples, he warned all the delegates that the disrespect of the Croat people’s election will means annulling both the Constitution and the oath they took as delegates.
Since that moment (and on through the spoiling of what may have been the last opportunity for a true transformation of BiH – the Constitutional Court Decision on the constituency of peoples – into a country of political dialogue searching for its own lost balance and the balance of collective and individual human rights and freedoms), what seems to exist in this country is nothing else but noise and anger and the wish to build one’s own political profit on the misfortune of others.
In this respect, indictments or investigations over the alleged undermining of the constitutional order are just a return to the twilight zone.
Prohibition of political thought and activity, which was so popular in the communist times, is present again as a wish of those who believe to be able to impose unilaterally the constitutional reforms and the models of alleged civil governments (in the country of three peoples and two predominant civil majorities).
Those who think they can divide BiH into two parts and achieve their own happiness at the expense of the third one, do not want dialogue and equality, but, sailing with the good wind of certain international officials, they are trying to eliminate forever the Croat people as a component of the BiH statehood.
A constituent and sovereign people is disappearing as a statehood component, and members of that people are becoming BiH citizens without any collective institutional protective mechanisms. Being a Croat in the Alliance for Changes, with the aforementioned being the only change they brought about in BiH, is indeed a big historic responsibility.
The question of the internal structure of BiH is really the mother of all questions, as well as its balancing, the appreciation of the fact that there are three peoples as its statehood components and the appreciation of equal or, if you wish, identical solutions for their institutional protection at the BiH level and an identical symmetric structure, be it cantonal or tri-Federal.
If there is no strength for a true balancing of the BiH architecture, then it would be normal at least in the two-entity structure if the Constitutional Court Decision required a minimal co-ordination of the Entity Constitutions with the BiH Constitution and institutional protection of each people.
Only then will we be able to speak about the sources of living, such as the economy, its revival and development, which is exactly where the Alliance’s reasons for diverting the political focus from their own weakness to the accusations of political differences seem to be standing.